12 Best Free YouTube Alternatives (2020) – Video Sites Like YouTube

YouTube is undoubtedly the internet’s most dominant platform for streaming free videos online. It hosts billions of videos that people view and comment upon daily.

With the addition of a large amount of content each day, its vast user base continues to grow actively. However, guidelines of the platform get revised without any prior indication. Other complaints in tow, a large fraction of unhappy users are looking for other YouTube alternative websites that can offer them free video hosting and similar content.

In case you are one of them and are looking for different video streaming sites, here’s a list of best alternatives to YouTube in 2020.

Before moving on to the video websites, check out our other lists of best free alternatives:

12 Best Free YouTube Alternatives (2020)

Dailymotion is already a popular name among video sharing sites like Youtube and has an interface similar to it as well. Here, one can find trending videos on the homepage or discover more through the categories section and search bar at the top.

Content creators can upload content up to 4GB in size and 60 mins in length at a resolution of 1080p. With 112 million visitors per month, this platform serves as an excellent gateway to share your content with people across the world.

Even though Dailymotion has its own set of dos and don’ts, but the copyright policies aren’t as scary as YouTube. So there is more flexibility and better tolerance for content uploaders, but this perk comes with repercussions too.

There is also an option of monetizing the content via ads or a paywall. So viewers can expect to see ads on some videos while other videos are completely ad-free.

Why use Dailymotion?

High-quality content

The layout of the website being similar to YouTube makes it easier to use

Lax rules with fewer risks of content removal

2. TikTok

Believe it or not, but TikTok is one of the biggest YouTube competitors you can find in 2020. In fact, this Chinese video-sharing platform is giving a tough fight. The primary reason is the raw video style and low-cost production that motivate common people to make videos in the comfort of their homes.

In fact, many celebrities have started using TikTok as a platform to promote their work and connect with fans. It comes with the built-in video editors in its apps for Android and iOS, which makes the content creation buttery smooth. Also, there are various third-party apps, including Adobe Premiere Rush, PicsArt, and Fuse, that can directly upload to TikTok.

Users can upload vertical videos (horizontal supported) of up to 15 seconds in length and max dimensions of 1080×1920 (9:16). For iOS, the video size can go up to 287.6MB, and for Android, it’s limited to 72MB.

Why use TikTok?

Vimeo is one of the best video hosting sites for artists and classy filmmakers. This platform encourages professionals in fields like music, dance, cinematography, photography, etc. to show off their work.

So if you want to see some random cat and dog videos, you might have to look somewhere else. But if classic short videos, experimental music clips, or interesting snapshots are your thing, Vimeo is your go-to place.

This platform has strict guidelines for uploading content as it hosts high-quality content where you can also enjoy 4K Ultra HD visuals with HDR. The best thing about Vimeo is its ad-free model. It is supported by the donations made by users and a paywall for some videos.

As far as the cons are concerned, its 500MB weekly upload limit can be disappointing for content creators. Although there is an option to upgrade this limit to 5GB yet it is too less considering that you are paying for it.

Why use Vimeo?

Neat interface with well-defined categories for easy search

Reliable YouTube alternative for hosting your videos online

More focus on video and less distracting elements in the background for a better viewing experience

One of the oldest video streaming sites, Metacafe, came into existence in 2003 even before YouTube went live. This website specializes in short-form video content with a focus on short 90-second clips, offering quick and lighthearted videos to its subscribers.

Metacafe’s minimal interface has neatly categorized sections for better browsing and caters to about 40 million viewers. However, if you are looking for professionally made videos or a complex topic, this platform isn’t for you.

It has more of clickbaity content with crafty thumbnails and titles, but for someone who rather enjoys spending time on short humorous clips made by regular users, Metacafe is the best YouTube alternative for them.

Why use Metacafe?

5. IGTV

YouTube has a new rival from the house of Facebook. Instagram TV is a great alternative to YouTube with a twist. This new video platform offers vertical, long-form videos that have been specifically created to be watched on smartphones.

Please note that you can browse videos only through the app; however, uploading videos through desktop is allowed. If you already have an Instagram account, IGTV automatically brings you videos published by creators you follow.

You can also follow other channels to view their content or simply browse through a feed that contains curated content based on your interests. As a content creator, Instagram TV is one of the best platforms to showcase your motion content to a larger audience without spending much. If you are new to Instagram, check out our hands-on guide to IGTV for tips on how to use the platform.

Why use IGTV?

Blockchain is the latest fad in tech town, and based on this technology, a new video platform, DTube, has emerged. This decentralized website is a good alternative to YouTube. In fact, a comes real close when looking for sites like YouTube because its user interface looks very similar.

You can browse through the hot, trending, and watched videos on the homepage. There is also an option of saving videos to watch later and checking out viral content through trending tags.

The best part is that DTube is ad-free. It utilizes the Steem blockchain to maintain records, and users don’t have to make initial deposits or pay any transaction fees.

In fact, uploading a video on DTube rewards you with Steem crypto-currency rewards for seven days. Moreover, users who leave comments on the videos also have a chance of earning money.

Why use DTube?

When looking on the web for more websites like YouTube, Veoh is a name you will bump into. The video streaming site that lets you easily discover, watch, and personalize your online viewing experience.

Veoh can be a good option if you enjoy watching longer videos as it allows users to upload and post videos of unlimited length. One can find several movies, TV series, and even anime on this site.

With a clean user interface and several social networking features like adding contacts, creating groups, and direct messaging, Veoh makes a good YouTube alternative.

Why use Veoh?

This website includes exactly what it says – an archive that has lots of content stored in it. Right from documentaries to TV series and movies, you will find a surprising variety in the videos section of the Internet Archive.

You can sort the content by setting filters for year, language, topic & subjects. By exploring, one can find certain videos that are hard to come by on other platforms. Also, anyone can contribute to the archive by uploading content for free.

Why use the Internet Archive?

If you are hunting for a video sharing website that would provide you pure entertainment, then 9GagTV is your go-to place. Facebook and Twitter users are already familiar with this portal that offers an unlimited supply of entertainment in the form of GIFs, images, and memes.

It also hosts a vast collection of funny videos, movie trailers, and engaging content, just like YouTube. You can explore through its ‘WOW’ and ‘WTF’ section, which has amusing content hosted on it, but some of them may be NSFW.

Why use 9GagTV?

The Open Video Project, launched in 1998, is a digital library that has about 195 video segments. It is a repository of digitized video content that has several documentaries, educational, and history-related content on it.

You can select from the available content by setting filters for a specific time duration, sound, and format. A significant portion of the videos on this platform has been mostly contributed by U.S. government agencies.

Why use The Open Video Project?

Best YouTube alternative for finding educational documentaries

11. Facebook’s Search Option

We generally use Facebook’s search bar for finding friends, groups, or pages of interest. But the social platform offers much more than that. In fact, you will be amazed at the results when you actually use this search option to find videos.

In my opinion, Facebook’s search option is quite underrated when it comes to seeking some good YouTube alternatives. The collection of visual content offered by the social media network is as diverse as YouTube’s. Be it tutorials, reviews, music videos, funny clips, you name it, Facebook offers all of it.

So just type whatever you are looking for in the search bar and then select the videos tab on the search result page. You will find all the relevant videos for the searched keyword in one place.

The only missing feature is that you don’t get too many filters to narrow down your search, but you can sort the videos according to year and sources. Another downside is that to use this option, you must have an FB account.

Why use Facebook Search?

A wide variety of videos in one place compared to some of the websites on this list.

Quick results displaying relevant content

12. PeerTube

PeerTube is an open-source video sharing platform that can serve as a good YouTube alternative in 2019. It is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) software that is decentralized, just like BitTorrent, where anyone can host videos on their individual instance. The interface is simple, neat, and contains no ads. It contains a Trending and Recently Added section where you can explore new videos.

The best part about PeerTube is it overcomes limitations of YouTube, like getting blocked or censored. Therefore, it empowers the creators to showcase their content across the world very easily without the risk of getting banned. Since PeerTube is relatively new, it does not have a varied collection of videos. Nevertheless, it offers an appreciable service as a competitor.

Why use PeerTube?

Open sourced and decentralized

No signup required and lax terms & conditions

Final Words

Even though there isn’t one site that can be a complete replacement for YouTube, but viewers and creators can use a combination of the aforementioned websites according to their needs. I hope that you found our list of best YouTube alternatives useful.

For example, you can resort to Facebook or TikTok if you’re in the mood of some mindless binge-watching of random videos. Feel free to choose any of the websites recommended above, and in case you come across some other great video sites like YouTube, do let us know in the comment section.

An Editor and a Tech Journalist with a software development background. I am a big fan of technology and memes. At Fossbytes, I cover all aspects of tech but my specific area of interest is Programming and Development. Drop an email if you have any software/hardware/research to share or tech-related queries!